Last Chance
by Jess J
Summary: It was a struggle for Lucian to wake himself up. To tear himself away from the light, from the soft, whispering voice he had only heard in his memories for the last six centuries.


Author's note: Wow. I've actually written another Underworld ficlet. Heh. Well, with the release of the extended cut and seeing the added scenes, my muse was finally brought back into the fandom with an idea for a Lucian ficlet, and here it is. Hope you all enjoy and please, review.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to Danny McBride, Kevin Grevioux, Len Wiseman, and Sony, etc. Do not sue me, please. Savvy?

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LAST CHANCE

It was a struggle for Lucian to wake himself up. To tear himself away from the light, from the soft, whispering voice he had only heard in his memories for the last six centuries. Oh, he wanted to be with _her_ again, and he would be with _her _again.

_But not yet._

Opening his eyes was a task. Moving was excruciating. But Lucian willed the pain away, forcing himself to bite his tongue and swallow the pain down with his cries because of it. He slowly raised his hand, uncurling his fingers, the bones and sinews stiff as if already in rigor.

"Not yet," he whispered defiantly. His will was still strong and he could fend off death for long enough.

Kraven would pay, and Michael, Michael would become the creature Lucian no longer had a chance of being. He saw the vials of Amelia's blood, he felt the briefest flicker of hope, and still he knew.

It was too late.

But not for Michael. He would somehow see to it that Viktor had a hybrid on his bloodied hands. The very creature that his grandson would have been. Lucian would see it done.

Pushing his body up, he looked at, seeing his men battling Death Dealers, falling to their deaths but taking many vampires down with them. He wanted to be out there, leading them as their leader should. But he couldn't. So he'd give them another leader, a stronger leader who would be able to withstand all that plagued both species.

Lucian crawled over to the other wall, where he could see if Michael was still safe. He grunted in pain, but forced himself to keep moving, his limbs reluctantly obeying his will. He finally reached the wall, his arms lifting up weakly as his fingers found a grip in the hole.

He nearly fell back down even as he pulled himself up, the pain was so bad. But he refused to let himself lie there and die like a dog. Lucian grunted softly as he pulled up, forcing his head to rise and his eyes to focus on the form in the lab. He felt a small wave of relief wash over him when he saw Michael was still there.

As long as Michael was alive and safe, Lucian still had a chance to make his hybrid.

That was when he heard the shots. Could smell the faint scent of lycan blood and burning silver in the air. Which meant Michael was probably about to die next, and Lucian could not move that fast. He watched, waiting for the blast that would end all hope for his kind.

But it didn't come.

Instead Selene the Death Dealer, the one Michael had asked about for some reason, walked over. She didn't shoot him, she shot his chains, freeing him, helping him. Lucian watched, puzzled by this, by what they were saying.

Until the kiss.

In his time, in Sonja's time, it had been a kiss of death, sealing their fate before they even broke apart. Lucian watched. Saw the past flashing before his eyes. Saw the possibilities that he and Sonja had hoped for. Saw his chance to see a hybrid born.

Michael and Selene broke apart, and Lucian heard Michael tell of what he had learned. Lucian knew now what he had to do. He could do it. He had enough strength left in his will, and he would force his limbs to work.

__

Just wait a few more moments, my love. And then we can be together in peace, at last.

Crawling, Lucian followed the scent of the two at first, then realized where they would ultimately wind up, which exit they would find. He pushed himself up, finding a flight of stairs and carefully making his way down them, avoiding the fighting.

There was so much pain, but he would not give up. He could not give up. He finally collapsed at the bottom of the stairs, gasping for breath, trying to keep his body from going stiff again. It was so tempting to give in, to let the pain go away and let the sleep wash over him, taking him to his family.

But he would not let history repeat itself. This time, Viktor would not win.

His body was aching and trying to stiffen again, his blood burning, the silver penetrating his organs slowly, agonizingly.

_ Not yet._

Again, Lucian crawled along the ground, finding his way to them, hearing the gunshots, smelling a familiar scent that Lucian would never think of as anything except cowardice. Not a person, no, it was pure cowardice. Kraven just always reeked of it.

Lucian could hear the bastard speaking. He heard him telling of sins Viktor had committed after Sonja. Destroying another's life, taking away another's family. Lucian crawled into the room, balling his right fist. He saw Kraven raise the gun, he saw Selene and a wounded Michael.

For a moment he lost his focus as his eyes saw the Death Dealer with the dying lycan. For a moment he saw the past again, and then focus came back, more strength, and he grabbed Kraven's leg.

He looked up, seeing Kraven's contemptuous glare, the smug sneer. He would have grinned but he couldn't afford to waste his strength yet. Biting his lip he moved up, bending down his fast. With a grunt, slammed his coat blade into Kraven's leg, gaining a moment of satisfaction when he heard the vampire's cry of pain.

Lucian hardly cared when Kraven backhanded him, hardly registered the pain or the coppery taste in his mouth. He gasped for breath and turned to his side, glaring at Kraven before turning to Selene, his eyes briefly falling on Michael.

He looked back up to her pleadingly, barely able to keep his eyes focused on her. Selene glanced down at Michael and back up at him, unsure of his help, but Lucian didn't have time for uncertainty.

"Bite him," he insisted hoarsely, using up more of his fading strength to speak those two words. He watched, eyes insistent as well, pleading, demanding. He knew there had to be some sense in her, some realization, and some desire to do what he had told her to.

As she looked down at Michael, blue eyes soft and certain, Lucian felt the bittersweet taste of fulfillment, slowly letting his body give in as he finally turned to face Kraven a last time, hearing the bastard speak again, even as Selene sank her fangs into Michael.

The hybrid would be made. The hybrid would lead his people to victory, and the hybrid would protect its mate where Lucian had failed to protect his family.

"You may have killed me, Cousin. But my will is done, regardless."

Satisfaction and peace were all he felt now, his mind fading as well, even as Kraven shot more of the liquid silver into his system. All he heard was _her_ voice. All he saw was _her_ face. All he felt were _her_ hands reaching to him and holding him.

_Now._


End file.
